Ask the Spike

Party bags

When I started giving birthday parties for Kitty I filled the party bags, as you do, with a shitload of tat. Stickers, sweeties, mini notepads, tiny crayons. Just utter crap.

The kids love it! I would say to myself. Give them what they want! They’re only little. Love it. MORE SUGAR.

But in fact there are some genuinely lovely things you can put in party bags that will not end up in landfill and while the kids don’t really care one way or another what’s in the party bags, the parents will probably be quite chuffed to see in a party bag:

a little book – Mr Men or similar

a curly wurly straw

a pair of age and gender appropriate knickers/socks

a packet of wildflower seeds

some ready-to-bake cookie dough

a cookie cutter

a colourful pocket pack of tissues

Like I said, the kids might not be punching the air, but it’s not all about them.

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Comments

I LOVE these ideas, at the last tat-fest we filled party bags with (all super hero themes…)mini pencils, puzzles and notepads, face masks, a bouncy ball and a packet of those bear-paw/bear-roll sweets (so there was something sweet but i felt less shitty about the content of it, after all it is made from real fruit…. right??) but I love your list even more!!! and will be stealing it right away…. although I will have to wait till December to use it!! …. Chances I remember it is here when I need it?? ummmm zero! sigh. thanks though xx and happy birthday Kitty!!

Table looks beautiful. Party bag non-tat, Friends have given out a) a drink bottle and b) one of those mini ice packs for kids. The kids liked it too because it was squishy and novelty, and it’s so useful.

One more idea to bore you with – when we have younger siblings (under two) I usually do a baby party bag. I buy a set of ikea plastic bowls (you can never have too many), and put in each a face cloth and some baby snacks. Then wrap the whole thing in some cellophane and ribbon.

Went to a 4th birthday party today. All that tat you talked about was in the party bag and it’s so depressing. Your list is perfect and lovely ideas from others too! Thank you.

Incidentally I cringed most of the way through pass the parcel. Every child eager to unwrap their layer and start stuffing down the obligatory sweets they recieved. Then totally bored by the rest of the game knowing they’d had their moment so that was it. It was so interesting to watch, the lack of interaction and empathy the kids had for each other. It made then all seem totally self centred. I mean God I know they are at 4/5 but still! It wasn’t a “game” it was just Music. Stop. Unwrap. Eat. Disengage.

I thought maybe next time I do a party for my son I might write a note to parents saying “look there ain’t gonna be tat in ever layer of the parcel, we’re doing things old skool. Trust me, it’s better in the long run!”

I’m sure it wouldn’t go down well and I don’t think I’d have the guts.
Seriously though, next time you’re at a party watch the kids playing it. Then imagine if there was some chance to it and ignore the fact that there’d be tears. Tough times but at least they’d be getting some good shit in the party bag aye 😉

I had a party for my son at Holland Park reptile centre – I loathe reptiles so mainly stood outside but it was about 40 quid, they got to make a den and get really dirty and a friend and I – both craft halfwits made ‘party bags’ – packets of tomato seeds, a pomegranate ( for the seeds and the reference to the harvest – call me a ponce ), a small book – if I recall it was all about Beast Quest at the time and some simple pencils ) not sure they all loved them but they were different..

Pass the parcel makes me fell ill and like Father Christmas at nursery seems to always make one of them cry..